Captivated
by auralcontra-exception
Summary: Years after the war, Diana Allers interviews Kasumi Goto about her favorite Shepard/Vakarian moment. Fluff - Part Two - Sequel to Curiosity - Fluff


**Captivated**

* * *

_~ (Jenna Shepard Series - Part 2) ~_

* * *

Dammit, Diana swore. Again. This damn documentary was starting to wear her down. On paper, the concept was good, on paper.

The story of Shepard and Vakarian. The Anthony and Cleopatra of the mass effect era. What a great story, You could almost say their love beat the Reapers. OK, that might be a stretch. A lot of advertisers would like it though. That angle might take some work, but technically might be true.

This could be a great show. She just has to find everybody, then get them to talk. The little things. Then put it all together. Piece of cake.

Steve Cortez told her he noticed it the moment they took off from Menae.

Vega told her it took forever for him to catch on. But, he'd think about it and get back to her.

Dr. T'soni had way too many stories. She'd have to weed them down, just take a couple.

Then there were the stories that lacked, well, everything. Like Jokers. I still don't get the significance of his story. I'm not sure there was any, it was just him watching a video of them watching a video. I'm sorry, but your point is, Lieutenant?

Dr. Karin Chakwas had lovely little tale, and that one right now, was the centerpiece. Karin told her to find Kasumi Goto. Which she had been trying to do for six weeks now. Ms Goto was tough to find.

She returned to her desk, her terminal blinking. She opened the message.

* * *

_To: Diana Allers_

_From: Kasumi Goto_

_Dear Ms Allers,_

_While I appreciate what you're trying to piece together, I must decline your request for an interview. I wish you the best of luck on your endeavor._

_Sincerely,_

_Kasumi Goto._

_[Attach: ./Audio]_

* * *

Well, that blows. Then she noticed the attached audio file.

She hit play:

* * *

So. Why did I help them? I mean did I really help them? He wanted her, she wanted him. The problem was, he didn't believe she wanted him. She didn't believe he wanted her. The rest of us saw it. My help, as you call it, was just getting them to see what the rest of us saw. That's all.

As for the why. Part of it was boredom. Another part was nerves. I had a big project coming up, and helping them was calming. Eh, I also liked the both of them. And it was funnier than hell to watch them stammer and stutter around each other.

Actually, the more I think about it, I wanted the entertainment aspect. On the battlefield, they had no problems communicating. They bantered, joked, usually horrible jokes, even flirted, again horribly. They communicated clearly, concisely, they even finished each others sentences. Off the battlefield, stammering idiots.

Joker was the one that gave me the idea. Accidentally, of course. He was leaving the mens room, when he knocked Garrus's stuff into the sink, soaking it. It was amusing and enlightening watching Garrus run from the bathroom to the battery shirtless.

The pieces began to click together. Unless there was a mission, or we were docked, Garrus showered at the same time every night. Right after the mess hall shut down for the evening.

So, every night, I would watch, time and track his movements. This might just work.

Now for Shep.

Shep was helping me with a project, and part of that included a cocktail party. We, well I was, going to break into Donovan Hock's vault. Shep was there to distract Hock. So we went shopping. Please. Don't shop with Shep. Please. She does not know how to shop. She can buy things. She can endorse things. But not shop.

By the end of the day, we both needed large amounts of alcohol. Many hours of: No. Yeah, not sure. Why, what's wrong with it. Uh, you're kidding right? This is how much? Where do I put my gun, etc... .Then we had to shop for shoes. Then the hair stylist. It was a very long day. Very long.

It was worth it though. When she stepped out of the dressing room, fully dressed up, she looked fantastic. I still wonder if she even knew or realized who she was really dressing for. When she stepped out and asked if I thought Hock would notice her, I said definitely. And so would a certain Turian, I thought.

I thought the colors would be too dark for her skin tone, but she pulled it off. The dress looked black, but was actually a very dark gray. Like her hair. Her hair was black, but under bright lights, it was a steel gray. And if the lighting was right, her light blue-gray eyes would have the same steel gray sheen as her hair. All set against her alabaster skin.

Joker told me that when she'd been named the XO of the original Normandy, Anderson sent out a memo warning everyone not to call her Snow White. It's not a good idea. Jacob almost found out the hard way. We were in a team meeting. Shep was finishing up when Jacob noticed that there were seven of us, plus Shep. So does this make us the seven dwarves, he'd joked. I'm still impressed how Garrus caught her mid-air.

She balked at the heels I picked out for her. Opting for knee-high boots instead. Off to the stylist. For her. Drinks for me.

OK, so now it's the day of Hock's party. I'd reserved a skycar for us, had our 'tribute' to Hock already en route. Now. The hard part. Getting those two in the same place at the same time. And in the manner I wanted.

I checked in with Thane. He'd agreed to help out. Just a couple little things. Like make sure Garrus stuck to his schedule. And one other little thing.

I go check on Shep. Thank god, I did. How can a woman save the galaxy, yet have no clue how to blend eyeliner? Despite her non-stop bitching, I got the horror-show wiped off her face. Still bitching, I redid her makeup. Correctly. I love Shep, but there are times when I swear she ate paint chips as a kid.

I give her one last look over, she's good to go. Real good. Shep cleans up nicely. She didn't like her new hair style at first, but she took to it quickly.

Chin length. Easy to maintain. Automatic Shep seal of approval. Don't even need a brush. Cut so it looks like she just woke up or, … We'll just go with tousled. Dress shows off a decent amount of cleavage, which I can tell is bugging the shit out of her. Hey Shep, you picked it out. She flips me off for that one. See what I mean about the paint chips?

Show-time. Maybe. First wrench in the works. Shep wants to go straight to the airlock. Yeah, I get it. She doesn't want to hear all the teases and taunts. I'll bet no one has seen her all cleaned up before. Well suck it up Shep. I've been working on this for weeks.

After a minute or two, I convince her to have a drink in my cabin. I ping Thane, all good.

Here we go. Hopefully.

We're standing in the doorway, killing time. I'm watching the mens room door. Shep's facing me, back to the mens room door. I can hear cursing through the door, Thane's done his job. I ping him a thanks. Door slides open. Fingers crossed.

Garrus steps into the mens room doorway, bends over and picks up a wet t-shirt, as he starts to straighten up, I nudge Shep in the elbow, and flick my eyes in Garrus's direction. She turns as he straightens up. He finally looks over to us.

Fwop. Crash.

Sound of a soaking wet shirt hitting the floor, followed by a glass hitting the floor. My work here is done. I sidle between the two of them into the corner. Her eyes are the widest I've ever seen them. I almost laugh as Garrus's mandibles look like they're learning Morse code. I've never seen a Turians mandibles flutter that much.

For those that don't know, Garrus is a big guy. About two meters tall, and right now he looks about half-th that wide. Broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist. And all well defined muscles. All of which Shep is mentally mapping right now.

She looks at me, her mouth is moving, but no words are coming out. I'm finding it very hard not to laugh. She makes it even more difficult when she points at him, and still can't speak.

The great and powerful Commander Shepard, rendered speechless by a shirtless Turian. Archangel wasn't doing much better. His mandibles looked like hummingbird wings learning Morse code. The two biggest bad-asses in the galaxy rendered helpless by each other.

In the background, I see Karin step out of the elevator, she laughs softly as she takes in the scene. I just smile at her. She moves a little closer before leaning against the wall, and watching the show.

Garrus is the first to attempt speech. "Shepard?" He stammered. I said speech, not intelligent speech. I slide back into my cabin, ducking behind her. I make her another drink, really just whiskey in a glass. I tap her on the shoulder, hand her the glass. She downs it, and hands it right back.

I start to head back to the bar, when I hear her mumble. "Holy shit, he's hot." If I make it through this without laughing once, I deserve a bonus. I refill her glass, hand it to her, and go back to my corner.

Garrus has moved a little closer. He tilted his head, and asked. "I'm sorry" Cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" She gets an 'oh, shit' look on her face, but recovers well. "I said, you look hot." Cough. "From the , uh, shower. You know, uh, the hot water." She waves her hand in the direction of the shower while babbling.

He clears his throat, then eloquently. "Uh, yeah." And now, I need a cold one, I heard him mutter. When she tilts her head, he realizes he's said that last part out loud. His turn for an 'oh shit' expression.

"I'm sorry, I missed that, what'd you say?" She asks. She's till mentally mapping, so she's not even goading him. He shakes his head. "Nothing. I didn't say anything." He scratches his neck then continues. "I mean I said yeah, uh, about the, uh, shower. But that's all. I didn't say anything else."

She starts to smile, quirks an eyebrow, then says. "OK. I just thought I heard you say something else." He shakes his head. "No. I stopped speaking after yeah. Except for this. You know." Interesting. I've never seen a Turian squirm before.

Her eyes are returning to normal, and she just says. "Oh, OK." Her head snaps straight up, like she'd had a jolt. Then a small frown before asking. "So. What's with the au natural look.." She waves her finger in the direction of his chest. Which I notice she's moved closer to. "... scaring the natives. Or, … you're waiting for Kelly, aren't you?" She breaks into a mischievous smirk at that one.

He looks like he's been hit. He starts waving his hands, mandibles are back to Morse code. "What! No, no, no. My shirt got.." He starts looking around for his shirt, finds it, and picks it up. " … wet. I'm not sure ..." He scratches his head. " … it was laying on the floor..weird." He relaxes a little. Meanwhile his shirts steadily dripping all over his feet and floor.

"And who'd want to wear a wet t-shirt, right?" She says for him. Maybe you could, he mutters. She gets a quizzical look, Karin and I both have raised a brow. He winces as he glances around, realizing that he's thought out loud again. He actually tries to cover this time. "Yeah. You're right who would." Not bad. I don't think she totally bought it, but not bad.

They're both still checking each other out, when he gets a serious look on his face. He tilts his head, and really examines her. She calls him on it. "Whacha looking for there, Vakarian? See anything you like?" She practically purrs the last part. They're flared so wide his mandibles are cleared for take-off. I give him credit for even trying to answer. "Definitely. I mean no, Yes, I mean...I do, no wait. Wait. Hold on ..." He points at her. " ...You're going unarmed?" He finally gets it out.

She's clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Please, Garrus. Do I go anywhere unarmed?" He looks perplexed, and signals for her to spin around. She turns around slowly a couple of times. He shakes his head, and gives in. "Where?"

I would love to have his visor right now. Watching the two of them move into bolder territory. His mandibles flare out wide as she raises her dress to expose the holster strapped to her inner thigh. She pulls her dress back down as she says. "You'd have have frisk me to find it. Wouldn't you say?" She'd emphasized you'd as she said it.

If he heard it, he didn't show it. He was staring at her hemline, as if staring would hike it back up. All night long, he rumbled. His eyes never leaving her hemline. "Oh. What?" I think she was hoping he was distracted enough to answer. I was impressed as he took it in stride. "Huh. I said you were right all along." He replied, finally looking her in the eyes.

She nodded, smirking. Nice save, Garrus. "So. I'm not sure when we'll be back. Shouldn't take more than a couple hours." I nodded, when she looked at me for confirmation. "Think you'll be up? Want me to swing by?" He'd gone back to eying her up and down. He wasn't getting any better at keeping his thoughts quiet. I barely heard it, but I heard him, Yeah, and wear that.

I know she heard him. "Hmm, what were you saying there, big guy?" She knew she had him. He finally stopped his mental mapping and looked her in the eyes. "I said sure. You know where I'm at." Gave her a mischievous look.

He surprised both of us when he stepped forward. He looked down at her, then took her face in his hands. I shook my head when I noticed she had her nose stud in. A very small diamond. I can't believe I missed it. He turned her face one way, then the other. Smiling the whole time. She was looking everywhere but at him. Mostly straight up at the ceiling.

Her right hand seemed to have a mind of it's own as it kept inching towards his chest. After the third time catching herself, she clasped her hands behind her back. I didn't see the her neck and cheeks turning red until he withdrew his hands. She let out an audible breath when he did.

He just stood there for a moment looking at her, an expression I didn't recognize on his face. She finally looked at him when he spoke. "You look really good, Shepard. You really do." He gave her a quick nod, turned, reached down and grabbed his shirt. He picked up his stuff from the bathroom, and headed down the hall. She never took her eyes off him.

He got to the corner, when he stopped. Turned around, and took a step towards her. When he looked up at her, he looked a little sad. He waved a talon over her, as he spoke. "You know Shepard. One of these day's you're going to point that at someone" He pointed his talon at her, twirling it as if to encompass her. "When you do. That'll be, … Well that will be one lucky sonuvabitch." And he left.

Then I heard her say quietly, I just did.

Then she spoke up. "Yo, Vakarian"

From around the corner. "Yeah, Shepard."

"I'll see you later, all right."

"Sounds good."

"And, Garrus." Dramatic pause. "I'll wear the dress."

"That sounds even better."

She handed me her glass, said she'd be right back, and headed toward the elevator. Karin and I just watched her. She stepped in, and just before the doors closed we heard. "Holy shit."

* * *

What happened after that, I don't know. I did my part. Did they get together that night? Again, I don't know.

I do know, that Jack has one hell of a story about that. You should ask her. I won't give away any details, but I will say this, It includes: Ring side seats, a six pack, and a bag of chips.

* * *

A/N: Finally. Hope it's OK.

Part two:

Originally, this had everyone's POV. While I prefer that version, it became very difficult to follow. The POV's switched around too much. So, I stripped it down to this version.

If you like, I'll post part three. Thanks again for the comments. Please R&amp;R. As always, Thanks.


End file.
